The Petersburg VA Chapter
The Links, Incorporated
60th Anniversary
Celebration of the Petersburg VA Chapter
On Sunday, may
25th, The Petersburg Chapter chartered on May 7, 1948,
celebrated its 60th Anniversary, where more than 400 hundred enjoyed
the gala and prestigious event. The
Honorable Rosalyn Dance, a member
of the Virginia House of Delegates, presided as mistress of ceremonies. The Petersburg Symphony Orchestra String Quartet
performed, and a photographic screen viewing of chapter activities was
shown.
Margot James
Copeland, the national vice president for The Links, Incorporated , and a native of Petersburg, was the main
speaker for the evening. Having
grown up in Petersburg and being an Heir O Link
of the Petersburg Chapter, Margot was well received. She smiled and reminisced about her
childhood in Petersburg and called attention to several
persons in the audience who had made favorable impressions on her life. She proceeded by emphasizing our
mission to be positively involved in civic, cultural, and educational
activities.
Platinum Link
members Margaret Dabney, Myrtle Dunn, and Gertie Williams were given
tributes. Dr. Bishetta Merritt, our
Eastern Area director, presented Legacy Recognition Awards to daughters of
chapter members…Judy Cephas Anderson, James River Chapter; Angela Taylor Butler,
Reston Chapter; Pamela Jordan Farr, Penn Town Chapter; Andrea White Saul,
Petersburg Chapter; and Marguerite Long Steele, James River
Chapter.
The following
philanthropic representatives were given Recognition Plaques: Earnest Green, Dominion Resources; Dr.
Albert Thweatt, ALROD; Randy Dillard, Verizon; Victor Branch, Bank of
America; and John Clements,
Bank of Southside Virginia.
Rosalyn Dance served as
chair of the 60th Anniversary with Ann Taylor as vice chair. Committee members were Doris Adkins, Angela Barnes-Hargress, Vivian
Bland, Sharon Boone, Myrtle Dunn, Annie Henderson, Carrie Johnson, Lula Lawson,
Virginia Mann, Rose Muse, Marolyn Quarles, Doris Ridley, Florence Rhue, Cynthis
Sugg, Betty Thweatt, Gertie Williams, Kimberley Willis, and Ernestine
Wilson.
36th National Assembly
The 36th
National Assembly was held in Seattle,Washington at the Seattle Convention and trade Center on July
14th, 2008. At the
assembly, “The president of The Links, Incorporated, Dr. Gwendolyn B. Lee,
presided over the plenary sessions and events.” She reminded members of their
obligations and commitments to implementing service missions in the Four Facets:
The Arts, Services to Youth, National Trends and Services, and International
Trends and Services.
The
Petersburg
Chapter, The Links, Incorporated had several members to attend the
36th National Assembly this year. President Agnes Hassell went as a
delegate, and Vice-president Ernestine Wilson went as an alternate. One of the Petersburg chapter members, Mary Annette Rose,
sang daily in the National Assembly Choir.
Other members, Lynn White Saul, and Yvette Gooden Robinson represented
the Petersburg
Chapter in the areas of protocol and code of ethics.
In addition, Petersburg Chapter members
were attentive to and engaged in items that were on the agenda; some chapter
members served in logistical capacities.
Knowledge was gained from workshops, including the Program Operational
Workshop which focused on fiscal fitness, and technology in leadership, and the
“Education Across the Miles” workshop, where the emphasis was placed on schools
that The Links, Incorporated built in South Africa during the last ten years and
their continuous educational
interest and support of children in South Africa.
“Twenty
Links local chapters received distinguished awards in Programming.” “Several chapters were congratulated for
“Best Practices” in their Service Programs.” Some of the prominent features of the
assembly were witnessed when attendees were given the privilege to see and
listen to Joan Higginbotham, a retired astronaut, who was the speaker of the
Civic Luncheon. Denyce
Graves, a renowned vocalist,
sang at the opening concert.
Chapter members met Thomas Blackshear, a noted artist, and aesthetically
observed his art work.
At the
National Assembly, “The Susan G. Komen for the Cure, “Big Pink,” had the giant
mobile cancer information center parked in the exhibition hall at the Link
Assembly for delegates to view.”
Indeed, The Petersburg Chapter of the Links, Incorporated
could easily draw parallels with “Big Pink,” after having worked in conjunction
with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and having served as hostesses in Paint it Pink, a local cancer awareness event.
Members
from The Petersburg Chapter, The
Links, Incorporated who attended the 36th National Assembly engaged
in good will and light hearted rapport at the Friendship Breakfast sponsored by
Nordstrom, and the elegant White Rose Banquet where three Petersburg platinum
members were given recognition: Mildred Scott Hayes, Margaret Crowder Johnson,
and Doris Howard Ridley.
From a more ritualistic experience, our
chapter members witnessed the installation of officers for the next
biennium. “Dr. Gwendolyn B. Lee was
re-installed as our national president of The Links, Incorporated.” Margot James Copeland, an Heir Link who
grew up in Petersburg, Virginia, is the returning vice president; “Lula
Lang–Jeter is the national treasurer; and Josephine Davis is the national
secretary.” Attendees also met Xernona Clayton who received the Lifetime
Achievement Award from The Links, Incorporated. Departing from the 36th
National Assembly, Petersburg Chapter members
returned to Petersburg with a revitalized burst of
energy.
Paint it Pink Breast Cancer Awareness
July 12th, 2008, The
Petersburg Chapter, The Links, Incorporated worked in conjunction with the Susan
G. Komen Breast Cancer for the Cure Foundation at thePetersburg Regional Art
Center. Several member of the Petersburg Chapter, The
Links, Incorporated served as
hostesses at the Paint it Pink event and wore bright pink to
reflect breast cancer awareness.
The focus of the event was on making females aware of the importance of getting
mammograms. Emphasis was placed on
the three phases: prevention, if possible, then detection, and treatment. Persons who worked as hostesses, but are
not pictured are: Juanita B.
Evans-Fells, Yourdonus James, Erna Robinson, Vivian Williams, and Anita
Wynn.
A brief
description of the Susan G. Komen
Cancer Foundation for the Cure is
as follows: The person, Susan G.
Komen, was from a small town in Peoria, Illinois. She was a high school homecoming queen
and a college beauty queen who later in life developed cancer at the age of 33
and died at the age of 36. Her
sister, Nancy Brinker, started the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation in
Susan’s name. The foundation tries to empower people,
ensure quality care for all, and energize science to find a cure.
